In the market for your first chicken coop? Our best suggestion for buying or building a new chicken coop is to research the options to decide on the right size and right features BEFORE you buy! Chicken coops can be pricey. There are definitely options you can make or by for less than $500 (which is what we did!). But whether you spend hundreds or thousands, getting the right chicken coop from the start will save you money, time, and headaches down the road. In this post, we’ll tackle the question, “How Big of a Chicken Coop Do You Need for 20 Chickens?”, and think through some other aspects you should factor into your decision, too.
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How Big of a Coop Do You Need for 20 Chickens?
The average chicken needs about 2-4 square feet of coop space, which means that for 20 chickens, you’ll need a coop that’s approximately 40-80 square feet. Broilers, also called meat chickens, usually only need 2 square feet each – so 40 square feet for a 20-bird flock. Average-sized layers need about 4 square feet each – so 80 square feet for a 20-bird flock.
Keep in mind that the size of your chickens does matter. Larger chicken breeds, like Buff Orpingtons and Jersey Giants, might need a larger coop with extra space. Small breeds like Bantam chickens don’t need as much room.
Other factors that influence how much space you’ll need
- Temperament. Some chickens are more aggressive than others. If you have an aggressive breed (such as Brahamas or Cornish) or multiple roosters, you may need more space.
- Outdoor space. If your chickens are going to free range or have a large run attached to their coop, you may not need quite as much space. Chickens who spend most of their time outside in the fresh air naturally don’t feel as cooped up in a smaller coop, and of course, they don’t get it as dirty as quickly either. Even if you have a chicken run, though, it is important to make sure you have an adequate amount of nest boxes and roosting bars for your birds. (For nesting boxes, plan on one for every 3-4 birds. For roosting space, plan on approximately 6-8 inches each for standard-size chickens.)
- Climate. Of course, letting your chickens free range or having an attached run only helps so much in the case of inclement weather. In very hot climates and very cold climates, chickens tend to spend less time outside, seeking shade or warmth instead. If you live in a more extreme climate, you may need a more spacious coop to protect your birds from the winter winds and summer heat.
Types of Chicken Coops for Backyard Chicken Owners
When it comes to coop design, there are honestly as many different styles of chicken coops as you can dream up.
Chickens need:
- Enough space that’s indoors and protected from the elements.
- Roosting bars and nesting boxes (for layers only).
- A place for food and fresh water.
- About 8-10 square feet of outdoor space per bird.
Tip: Many chicken keepers struggle with predators. For the safety of your chickens, it’s a good idea to have your chicken run reinforced with hardware cloth rather than just chicken wire. Running wire mesh into the ground is also helpful for additional protection to prevent predators from digging underneath.
In the next section, we’ll dig a little deeper into what to look for when you’re buying or building a coop.
Chicken Tractor
A chicken tractor is essentially a movable coop with wheels that sits directly on the ground. The benefit of chicken tractors is that you can move them around so that the chickens are always getting new available space to forage. In addition, the coop stays clean and it’s excellent for fertilizing!
The John Suscovich-style chicken tractor is a common design, and you can even make one yourself with some basic tools and supplies. This is what we have for our meat birds, and we love it!
Shed and Run
Another easy option is to create a shed and run chicken coop. A sturdy shed can create a spacious coop, depending on the size of the shed and the number of chickens you have . Just add some nesting boxes and roosting bars. Then put in a chicken door (you can even get automatic doors to make chore time easier!) and add a run to the outside to give your chickens space to roam.
Amish Chicken Coops
OverEz Chicken Coops are more pricey than DIY builds, but these handsome coop options are built by amish-trained craftsmen and provide a sturdy, durable home for your backyard birds. The OverEz XL Coop can fit up to 20 birds and features superior moisture resistance, a treated resin floor, and protects against both high humidity and subfreezing temperatures.
You definitely need to be ready to invest if your’e going to buy this type of coop, but on the plus side, it definitely adds beauty to your homestead!
More Chicken Coop Options
The type of chicken coop you choose depends largely on your personal preferences, convenience, and your budget. You can find all sorts of options at stores like Tractor Supply or online retailers, or build your own coop.
You do not have to invest in expensive custom-build coops to have healthy chickens. We built our chicken tractor for less than $500. You can likely build a coop for even less depending on the style you choose and what materials you have on hand (or what you can find inexpensively). We’ve also found good deals for used chicken coops on Facebook Marketplace with a bit of searching.
Here are 13 options for free chicken coop plans if you want to build your own!
What to Look for in a Chicken Coop
Whether you’re planning to buy a coop or build your own, here are some features you should be aware of as you look for the right coop.
- Square feet of space. Of course, having enough room is one of the most important factors. If you’re a first-time chicken owners, it’s also worth considering that the size of your flock may grow over time. If you think there’s a chance you might increase your number of birds in the future, consider choosing a larger coop. This way, you don’t have to go through this whole process again in a year or two!
- Protection from weather. Chickens need to be able to stay warm and dry. Depending on your climate, make sure that the coop provides adequate protection against cold winds and rain. If you live in very hot climates, ventilation and shade are extra important.
- Ventilation. Ventilation in your coop is a necessity! It allows fresh air in your coop, prevents condensation and ammonia buildup, reduces the risk of viruses and chicken illness, and prevents overheating in the summer. Coops can be ventilated in many different ways, including windows, doors, wall-roof gaps, vents, and fans. General guidelines for ventilation are to have cross ventilation and to have at least some of the ventilation above your chickens’ heads.
- Roosting and nesting space. Depending on the design of your coop, roosting and nesting space could cut into floor space. This is another factor to keep in mind when considering the size of your coop compared to the number of chickens you have. You’ll also need to make sure you have enough space for your feeder and waterer.
- Safety from predators. One of the most important things to look for in a coop is safety from chicken predators. Common chicken predators include raccoons, foxes, hawks, coyotes, skunks, and weasels. Chicken wire is not enough to protect from these predators. Consider hardware cloth and intricate locks. And if you free range your birds, make sure they’re locked up safely at dusk. Here are some more tips for protecting your chickens if you suspect predators to be an issue.
Best Chicken Coops for 20 Chickens
Here are some of the most popular chicken coop options to check out for a flock of 20 chickens:
- Rita Marie’s Chicken Coops. Rita Marie’s is a family-owned business. They sell beautiful amish-made coops that are built to last. These high-quality coops for 20 chickens start at about $2,500 and go up from there, so they’re definitely an investment.
- OverEz XL Chicken Coop Kit. This coop is popular for small flocks and is marketed as “easy to assemble”. It runs about $3,000.
- Amazon Chicken Coops. Amazon actually has a wide variety of pre-built chicken coops that are easy to order and assemble. They have quite a collection of both metal and wooden options for sale for just a few hundred dollars. Just be sure to be familiar with what to look for in a chicken coop (see the above section) before buying one.
- John Suscovich Chicken Tractor. We are big fans of our Suscovich-style chicken tractor. You can buy detailed plans online for just $10 for how to build one of these tractors. The materials to build this tractor cost us about $400.
Remember, 20 chickens will need about 40-80 square feet of coop space. But, this also depends on the breed, temperament, climate, and amount of outdoor space they have. If you have more or less than 20 chickens and want to find your ideal chicken coop size, you can also use a handy chicken coop size calculator.
More About Raising Chickens
If this post was helpful to you, you might enjoy our other blog posts about raising chickens, like:
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